1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a structure for mounting engine auxiliaries, and more particularly, to a structure for mounting auxiliary elements such as an alternator, a compressor for an air conditioner, a power steering assembly, or the like, which are driven via belts from a crank from pulley of an engine of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Demands for an up-grading of the vehicle's performance, and improvements to the steering facilities, have brought various engine auxiliary elements, such as an alternator, a compressor for an air conditioner, a power steering assembly, and the like, into an increasing and wider use, and these auxiliary elements are generally mounted on an internal combustion engine body of a vehicle. These auxiliaries mounted on the engine body are usually driven by respective driving belts from a crank pulley of the engine of the vehicle. Accordingly, if the number of these auxiliaries is increased, and if the sizes thereof are also increased, it will become more and more difficult to obtain sufficient space in the engine compartment for mounting these auxiliaries, and in addition, vibration or noise will be increased in relation to the number of these auxiliary elements.
The above-mentioned engine auxiliaries conventionally are fixedly mounted on the engine body by means of brackets, which are relatively heavy and large in size, to increase the rigidity thereof. The brackets, on which the auxiliaries are rigidly mounted, are also rigidly mounted on a cylinder block of the engine. This, however, increase both the weight of the engine and the fuel consumption thereof since the brackets are heavy and large.
In some cases, a plurality of engine auxiliaries are mounted on the engine body by means of multistage respective brackets. This means, however, that the space necessary for mounting these brackets must be increased, which gives rise to difficult problems in the mounting or assembling efficiency thereof.
In other cases, a plurality of engine auxiliaries are mounted on the engine body by means of a single multistage bracket. However, the rigidity of each auxiliary is reduced at the side opposite from the bracket, which increases cause vibration and noise.